News - USA, Chicago, Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria

On June 13, 2026, the 48th Annual MacGahan Festival was held in New Lexington, Ohio, honoring the life and legacy of American journalist Januarius MacGahan, whose reports on the suppression of the April Uprising of 1876 helped bring international attention to the suffering of the Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule.

Organized annually by the American-Bulgarian MacGahan Foundation, the festival brings together members of the Bulgarian-American community and American friends of Bulgaria from across the Midwest.

The program began with a memorial service at MacGahan’s grave, officiated by Father Vladimir Bakardzhiev, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at MacGahan’s statue in downtown New Lexington. The monument was created and donated by renowned Bulgarian sculptor Lyubomir Dalchev.

Among the special guests this year was the “Otets Paisii” Folk Dance Ensemble from Pittsburgh, which presented traditional Bulgarian dances to residents and visitors of New Lexington. For the performance, local authorities temporarily closed the town’s main street, transforming it into a stage for Bulgarian folklore and culture.

The celebration continued at the Perry County Library with musical and dance performances, as well as the presentation of scholarships to the winners of the annual essay competition dedicated to the life and work of Januarius MacGahan.

During the event, the Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Chicago, Svetoslav Stankov, donated books on the April Uprising to the library in anticipation of the upcoming 150th anniversary of one of the most significant events in Bulgarian history.

In his remarks, Consul General Stankov emphasized MacGahan’s enduring place in Bulgarian national memory and his contribution to the friendship between Bulgaria and the United States.

“Through his journalism, MacGahan helped bring the truth about the suffering of the Bulgarian people to the attention of the world, and he remains forever inscribed in Bulgarian history. History teaches us that one person, armed with truth, courage, and a sense of justice, can change the fate of entire nations. Such a person was Januarius MacGahan—American by birth, but forever a friend of Bulgaria,” Consul General Stankov stated.

The Consul General also expressed gratitude to New Lexington Mayor Trent Thompson, the City Council, George Adams, President of the American-Bulgarian MacGahan Foundation, the Association of Bulgarians in Cincinnati, and Biliana Stafura, director of the “Otets Paisii” Ensemble, for their efforts to preserve MacGahan’s legacy and strengthen the friendship between Bulgaria and the United States.

The MacGahan Festival remains one of the most important annual events dedicated to Bulgarian-American friendship and serves as a lasting symbol of the Bulgarian people's gratitude to the man who helped the world learn about the tragedy and heroism of Bulgaria in 1876.